Vitamin smoothies are a great way to enjoy a cold beverage and relax on a hot summer day. Smoothies are not only delicious, but they are good for you as well, providing many nutritional benefits which will improve your dietary habits. These refreshments are perfect for long car rides, picnics or to make at home to enjoy in front of the television. Some of the most popular types of smoothies include protein smoothies, energy drinks and vitamin smoothies, but it is important to know the ingredients in these drinks in order to determine which type of drink suits your lifestyle.

• Protein Smoothies - Protein is known as the building block for muscles and insufficient amounts of protein will make it difficult to obtain muscle mass and grow larger muscles. Protein supplements are available in powder forms and can easily be added to smoothies in order to build your muscles faster. A large container of protein will cost about $30.00.

  Who Drinks Them? Protein smoothies are great for individuals looking to build larger muscles in a short amount of time. Protein is also used for individuals looking to lose weight while maintaining strong and healthy muscles. Body-builders and weight lifters often use protein supplements.

• Energy Drinks - Energy drinks include stimulants, vitamins and minerals such as caffeine, guarana, taurine, ginseng and creatine. The caffeine and stimulants are the ingredients which give you the energy boost you desire. The amount of caffeine in one energy drink is usually equal to the amount used to make one cup of coffee.

  Who Drinks Them? Individuals, with busy schedules who require and extra "kick" to help them get through the day, will often use energy drinks for the uplift they need.

• Vitamin Smoothies - Vitamin smoothies which use pure fruit with no added sugar can have great nutritional value. Beverages such as these provide the individual with a significant amount of Vitamin B and C as well as fibers and minerals. For the healthiest form of smoothie, do not use cream, ice cream whole milk or peanut butter. For best results, used crushed ice and pure fruit juice.

  Who Drinks Them? Anyone looking to maintain a healthy diet is most likely to drink these beverages. They are a great alternative to ice cream, pop or iced tea and provide vitamins and minerals which are great for healthy living.

Now that you have become familiar with the different types of smoothies, maybe you would like to try making your own at home. Making your own smoothie is as easy as 1-2-3, literally! Read the directions below to find out at to make great-tasting smoothies in the comfort of your own home:

1. Choose the kind of fruit you want to use (strawberries, blueberries, oranges, bananas etc)
2. Blend the fruits that you chose with crushed ice (or fruit juice or yogurt) in a blender.
3. Pour into a cup and serve.

Whether you purchase them from a store or make them yourself, smoothies are an easy, healthy way to beat the summer heat and cool off on a hot summer day.

About the author: Jeff Matson is an avid health enthusiast who owned and operated his own natural health food store. Now retired, Jeff spends his time keeping fit, walking marathons and writing articles as a contributing editor for http://www.vitamin-insight.com - a site that offers information on vitamins and mine rals.